The Pearl Company

John Mann: Mister Mann. Wednesday, March 2, 8:00pm., $20 at the door.  A solo project of Spirit of the West’s front man and songwriter John Mann who is returning to his stripped down Alt-folk roots. www.johnmann.ca Mann pens beautiful melodies with emotionally honest lyrics that capture the intimate moments of his hometown of Vancouver, its occupants, the fragile details of their dysfunctional love and the loss of a city’s innocence. John Mann is also an actor of stage, film and television and currently can be seen on the CBC TV drama Intelligence, as CSIS Director, James Mallaby. Really looking forward to this show!

Cinema Insieme Monday February 28: 7:00pm. $10 at the door.  A Hamilton-based Italian Film Club usually screening modern films that have received a lot of attention in Italy or at International Film Festivals. All films have English subtitles. Occasionally, a classic or retrospective film of importance is featured. The films are introduced by highly knowledgeable Italian Film-Buffs and a brief discussion follows the film.  Everyone is welcome. Lo Spazio Bianco (2009) An unexpected pregnancy and premature birth become a burden that Maria is unprepared for. Lacking control over events for the first time in her life, she retreats into an emotional space where she is alone, until the day arrives when she must learn to live again for her vulnerable child. Staring: Margherita Buy, Gaetano Bruno and Giovanni Luden

Gary Santucci Live at The Pearl!  Saturday, February 26: 8:00pm, $15 at the door. $10 artist/student. Gary was all set to play with his long-time musical partner, Dimitrius Doumas, but he has been abandoned for a southern clime.  Therefore, all those people who complain that they never get to hear Gary play anymore here’s your chance.  If you are lucky, he will even do some of his Indian ragas.

Ben Sures: Saturday, February 19: 8:00pm, $15 at the door. $10 artist/student. Singer/songwriter extraordinaire, 2005 Winner in the folk category of the John Lennon songwriting contest, and a winner in the 2006 International songwriting contest. Ben is a songwriter and terrific guitar player who has multiple appearances at most of the major folk festivals in Western Canada under his belt. He has four critically acclaimed recordings to his credit and is also the current semi regular music guest on CBC Radio’s national produced sketch comedy program ‘The Irrelevant Show’. (more…)

Jeff Bird presents Picture Music: Saturday, February 12. 8:00pm. $20 at the door.  Jeff and his musical colleagues spin a mesmerizing musical web as they accompany the action in Jeff’s short impressionistic films.  A special treat is the well-loved documentary RINK. The film follows the life and death of this most Canadian of places, the outdoor, neighbourhood skating rink.  Jeff is joined by: Randall Coryell (Quartette, Kevin Breit) on Percussion, Witek Grabowiecki on Piano, Jaro Czerwinec (Cowboy Junkies, Daisy Debolt) on Accordion, Harri Palm (Johnny And The G Rays, The Eels) Video Manipulation. http://jeffbird.com

Jeff is not just a consumate musician but is also an accomplished film maker. He has had his films screened at festivals from Dawson City Canada to Vladivostok Russia. Along with artful live video manipulation, the show moves effortlessly between scored material and improvisation creating a dynamic sonic and visual experience.

8:00pm. Tickets $15 advance or $20 at the door. ($10 or $15 at door students / artists).  A match made in musical heaven could perhaps best describe the famed Broadway songwriting team of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart!  A collaboration which spanned over three decades (until Hart’s rather premature death in November of 1943) the team of Rodgers & Hart proved truly magical, contributing substantially to the Great American Songbook with songs such as I Wish I Were In Love Again, My Funny Valentine, Thou Swell, The Lady is a Tramp, My Romance, Blue Moon, and Bewitched.  This melodic and informative “Musical Biography”, lovingly delivered by entertainer and creator, Dean Hollin and accompanist Mark Spencer, takes audiences on a journey through a truly impressive body of work, additionally providing a detailed, intimate look at the two men responsible for it all.  Another of My Eye Productions’ live, interactive “Musical Biographies, Love ‘n’ Rodgers ‘n’ Hart is a perfectly romantic fit for Valentines! www.myeyeproductions.ca

Laura Merrimen, Kelly Sloan, Adam Baldwin: ‘The Icebreaker Tour’: Friday, February 11. 8pm show. $15 at the door. $10 artist/student.  Three exciting young stars from Eastern Canada:

Laura Merrimen: Recently won best country/bluegrass recording of the year with her first album ‘Love Letters For Lonely Hunters’ for the Nova Scotia Music Awards. Opened for Cuff the Duke, Elliot Brood and the Deep Dark Wood in Halifax. Some have compared Merrimen to a female Bob Dylan or Neil Young, others to Lucinda Williams and Neko Case, but you can’t put your finger on it, the sound is uniquely her own. She is a prolific writer who delivers soulful thought provoking lyrics that are steeped in honesty and raw emotion.

Kelly Sloan: This rising Dartmouth, Nova Scotia-based musician is known for deflecting emotional landmines with an easy wit. On stage and in life, Kelly’s clever banter often serves to soften the edges of loss. But once this rising singer-songwriter grasps a guitar and microphone, or sidles up to a piano, all bets are off.

Adam Baldwin: Best known as keyboard player for Matt Mays, Adam Baldwin has steadily been forging his own path in the Canadian music scene. He is set to release his debut solo album this spring; an ode to all things plaid-shirted and Springsteen-esque. An evocative and engaging songwriter, his subject matter is surprisingly mature given his youth. Adam draws you in with tales so close to home, you feel as if he’s been reading your thoughts…in fact, he probably has

The Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra presents What Next? Festival: Sunday, February 6. 1pm, 2pm, 3pm shows.  Advance single tickets are only available by calling the HPO box office at 905.526.7756. Single tickets will also be available at the door.

What Next? is a festival that merges new classical music with genres and mediums from folk to electronic, to video and dance installations by acclaimed artists and performers. Hear it happening.

1pm: Panel Discussion: Dissonance. Why is so much new music so dissonant? How do our bodies and our brains respond to musical sounds? Is our sense of beauty ‘hard-wired’ ? Featuring guests from the McMaster Institute of Music and the Mind, Music Director James Sommerville and festival musicians.

2pm: Kiss On Wood: Chamber music for strings by Kotoka Suzuki, John Zorn, Toru Takemitsu, and James Macmillan. A concert for strings, performed by members of the HPO. Music from around the globe, inspired by nature, pop, cartoons and zen.

3pm: The Attar Project for violin, tabla and dance with Parmela Attariwala and Shawn Mativetsky. The Attar Project, developed by violinist Parmela Attariwala combines the sound worlds of the violin and the Indian percussion instrument the tabla through both improvisational and compositional means that also incorporates dance and South Asian aesthetics. The Attar Project engages both the ears and the eyes and challenges the boundaries between musical genres and artistic practices.

Tia McGraff and The Radical Road Band: Friday, February 4 at 8:00pm. $12 / $10 artists/students at the door. With special guests: Sakoieta Widrick and Dawn Antone.  Writing and recording since the age of 19, Tia McGraff’s heart-warming songs have been garnering her strong fan acclaim from her strong beginnings. The new album, ‘Diversity’, is climbing the charts and gaining rave reviews.  Here’s one: “Diversity is a great name for singer-songwriter Tia McGraff’s new album, because …. this collection of songs will appeal to fans of Adult Contemporary, Country Music and yes even to Rock music fans. This is not a contrived recording, designed to target definite commercial markets, but instead is the natural progression of an incredible songwriter and gifted singer, who collaborates with an equally gifted arranger, Scott Brasher and is complimented by (her) husband Tommy Parham, whose guitar playing takes these songs to another breathtaking level.” Riveting Riffs Magazine
“Tia McGraff is a fantastic singer with her own vocal personality which reminds me of an early Linda Ronstadt. She is a very intuitive songwriter who knows what a song needs to make it tick. A joy to work with.” – Randy Bachman www.TiaMcGraff.com

Russell deCarle: February 3rd, 8:00pm show. $20 at the door. Russell deCarle is a founding member, lead vocalist, bassist, and contributing songwriter to the multi-platinum, Juno award winning, country roots group Prairie Oyster. www.russelldecarle.com

As a solo artist Russell has appeared on CBC TV’s Songwriters Circle, opened for Merle Haggard on his cross-Canada tour, traveled coast-to-coast with Bluebird North Songwriters’ Tour, and was a featured guest on Stuart McLean’s Vinyl Café Christmas Tour. Russell has also appeared as a guest vocalist on numerous occasions (Bebop Cowboys, Rita Chiarelli, Terra Hazelton) and has won two SOCAN Song of the Year awards.

In 2010, Russell released his long-awaited and much-anticipated solo recording “Under the Big Big Sky”. deCarle penned nine of the eleven songs and is featured on vocals and rhythm guitar.